Crews battle fire at Lake County General Health District (with videos)

Crews battle a fire at the Lake County General Health District in Painesville on Aug. 20.

Smoke came flowing out of windows, doors and the roof of Lake County General Health District, 33 Mill St., in Painesville, as crews fought flames coming from the building during the morning of Aug. 20.

Painesville Fire Chief Mark Mlakchak said the call came in at 6:31 a.m. and about 20 fire departments — every fire department from Lake County as well as some from Geauga, Ashtabula Cuyahoga counties — provided mutual aide.

“On our arrival, there was moderate to heavy smoke showing from the roof line in back of the structure, so we immediately started calling other departments in the county,” said Painesville Fire Lt. Mark Jonovich said. “Within about a minute of arrival, we had flames showing through the roof of the building, with heavy smoke and fire inside the building and from that point on we went into fire attack.”

Firefighters were cutting and removing sections of the roof, and extinguishing the five-alarm fire found underneath.

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Jonovich said well over 100 firefighters were on the scene and battled the blaze.

“We believe the fire (was) in between the steel roof and the insulation of the building, but we will be investigating to determine the cause of the fire,” Mlakchak said.

Lake County Fire Investigation Unit and the State Fire Marshal are investigating the fire.

Some other interior parts of the building also caught fire, but the heaviest damage was in the mechanical area, he said.

The building also sustained heavy smoke damage.

At about 9:15 a.m. Mlakchak said, “we believe the fire is contained, but we are still finding hot spots and will be on scene for at least two to three more hours.”

The fire was under control at about 12:30 p.m., Jonovich said, with crews wrapping up work at 1:30 p.m.

No one was inside the building and employees were just starting to arrive to work when the blaze broke out.

Two firefighters were injured in the fire, Jonovich said.

“They are not serious injuries,” he said. “One did not require treatment, and one did require treatment.”

There were no chemicals involved.

Mill and Latimore streets were closed and crews were staging on Latimore. Painesville Kiwanis Recreation Park was also not accessible.

Mlakchak warned Painesville residents and anyone traveling to avoid the area so crews can continue to work.

Dawn Cole, health educator for the Health District, said about 70 people work in the building, providing several services for the county including community health programs, environmental health testing, emergency preparedness, community health services and birth and death resources.

The Health District was closed Aug. 20 and is expected to be closed for four to six months.

“We will be relocating all of our services,” she said. “The Madison and Willoughby WIC offices are open. You can get a birth or death certificates in the basement of the Lake County Administration Building beginning at 1 p.m. Aug. 20. People in need of vaccinations are asked to call their health care provider of contact Geauga County Heath District as they take clients on a walk-in basis.”

There are also three hotlines open with live volunteers at 440-918-5470, 440-918-5493 and 440-918-5469.

Cole added the mosquito spraying program will continue on as scheduled and a Painesville WIC mobile unit for Painesville clients will be available Friday.